Writers in repressive societies are considered dangerous. That's why so many of them are in jail.

The excitement of theatre is palpable but the frustrations, and the complete absence of a definitive evening - the play as text means practically nothing in a way - , there's no particular performance that is definitive in the way a novel is a solid object you hold in your hands and here it is. You can't say that about a play. If the novel gives us a sense of throbbing consciousness, theater is pure soul, beautiful and elusive.

Even when you self-destruct, you want to fail more, lose more, die more than others, stink more than others.

It was only when I found myself writing things I didn't realise I knew that I said, 'I'm a writer now.'

It was important for him to believe that he'd spent his life among people who kept missing the point.

I understand there are some men who are only half here. Let's not say men. Let's say people. People who are more or less obscure at times.

Fame and secrecy are the high and low ends of the same fascination.